Game apparatus



s. ROBBINS; GAME APPARATUS.

(No Model.)

No. 499,041. PatentedJu ne 6, 1893.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

SILAS ROBBINS, OF OMAHA, NEBRASKA.

GAME APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 499,041, dated June 6, 1893.

Application filed June 6,1892. Serial No. 435,791. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SILAS ROBBINS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Omaha,

in the county of Douglas, State of Nebraska, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Games; and I do declare the following to be a clear, full, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

In the drawings, Figure 1, represents one of mydiagrams upon which the game is played, and is called the political field, and Figs. 2, 3, and 4, are views illustrating the relative size of the pieces or men employed in playing the game.

It is the purpose of my invention to produce a game interesting both to children and adults, and which from its nature I call the game of politics. It represents the struggle between any two of the political parties.

In playing the game twenty-four pieces called men are used, being twelve on each side. On each side, two of the twelve represent statesmen of world wide fame, Four pieces represent politicians of national renown, and the other six represent active and intelligent voters. Each set, or twelve of the pieces, must be all of the same color and of a different color from the other set, or twelve, and each set must contain three different sizes of pieces or men; the smallest size being six in number, represent the voters; the middle size, being four in number, represent the politicians, and the largest size, being two in number, represent the statesmen respectively on each side. The pieces or men may be made of any suitable material and of any shape or size desired, maintaining however, the above described differencein the relative sizes of said pieces, so as to easily distinguish the statesmen, and politicians and voters from each other. See Figs. 2, 3, and 4.

Fig. 1 representing one of my diagrams upon which the game is played, is described as followsz-Draw the square A. C. X. V. each side of which bisect equally at the points B. O. W. and J. And from said points draw the lines HO, 0. WV, W.J., and J. B. forming the square B. O. W. J., each side of which bisect equally, at points F. U. S. and D., and from said points draw the lines F. U., U. S., S. D., and D. F., forming the square F. U. S. D., each side of which bisect equally, at the points E. N. T. and K., then from said points, draw the lines E. N., N. T., T. K., and K. E., forming the square E. N. T. K., each side of which bisect equally, at the points I. R. P. and G.', and from said points draw the lines I. R., R. P., P. Ga, and G. I., forming the square I. R. P. G., each side of which bisect equally, at the points H. M. Q. and L., and from said points draw the lines H. M., M. Q., Q. L., and L. 1-1., forming the square H. M. Q. L., then draw the lines B. E. I I., (1F. 1.. M. N. 0., R. U. X., Q. T. W., P. S. V., J. K. L., and A. D. G. The above described diagram (Fig. 1) may be out, carved, made, engraved, lithographed, stamped, printed or painted on or in any material, substance, and of any size desired. The points A. B. (1., &c., to X. inclusive, are for convenience, called stations, and the number of pieces or men, a player or party has in the political field, constitutes his phalanx. The points or objects aimed at, are to form and re-form three pieces or men in a row, or to jump a piece or man over a man or piece of the opposite party or player, and to prevent the opposite party from doing the same, and when either player or party, has formed or re-formed three pieces or men in a row, or jumped one of his pieces or men over a man or men of the opposite player, he has the right to remove at his selection, as many voters, not in a row, of the opposite party from the political field as the number of rows his lay-down, move or jump completed, and a party has the right always to remove a man when he has jumped a man over him.

In Fig. 1, suppose a political party, the Democrats for instance, holds the stations D. B. O. 0., and W., suppose also that another political party, the Republicans for instance, holds the stations E. K. L. N. R. U. and V., and that the remaining stations are vacant. Suppose also that it is the Democrats time to play. The Democrats can move the man from the station D. to the station A., and form the Democratic row A. B. 0., but the better thing for them to do instead of that would be, to jump their man at D. over the Republican at E. to the station F., thereby forming the Democratic line B. F. O. This would, be a double play and would entitle the Democrats to take two Republicans from the political field; the Republican jumped over, and a voter that is out of a row, at their selection, for the point made in forming the Democratic row B. F. 0. Let us suppose that they remove the Republican voter at the station N.; now it is the Republicans time to play. They could move their man from station V., to station J., and form the Republican row of J. K. L., but it would be a better plan for them to jump their man at V. over the Democrat at W., and form the Republican row of R. U. X., making a double play. The parties begin by laying down voters alternately, and

when a party has placed four voters in the political field, he can lay down any man he desires; and neither party is entitled to move or jump until such party has placed all of his men in the political field.

In moving or jumping, a party or player must move or jump in a single straight line; and when a party or player in one play makes more than one jump, each jump must be made on a single straight line.

Figs. 2, 3, and 4, in the drawings represent one of each of the different sizes of men. Fig. 2 represents, one of the voters. Fig. 3 represents one of the politicians, and Fig. 4 repre sents one of the statesmen. Astatesman cannot be jumped by a voter or politician; and a politician cannot be jumped bya voter. A statesman, politician or a voter, when said voter is in a row, is exempt from being taken from the political field for points made by forming rows; and they can be removed from the political field only when jumped. When a party or player is in a position to jump, he must do so in preference to moving. If a player has the first lay-down in the first game, the other player has the first lay-down in the second game, and so forth. In laying down, moving or jumping, the players will act by turns and lay their men at any vacant station the player desires.

In moving a man,

always move on a straight line, and never pass by a station or stop between stations. hen a player after having placed all of his men in the political field, has his phalanx or number reduced to two pieces, he has lost the game. A player must lay down, move or jump, as the case may be,when it is his turn, and he cannot waive his right, and a party cannot waive his right to remove a man or men, of the opposite party from the political field. When a player, it being his turn, has no man that he can move or jump,he haslost the game.

WVhile I have described my game as being played with twenty-four men, being twelve on each side, yet it may be played with twenty men, with ten on each side divided into classes as follows, viz: one statesman, four politicians, and five voters.

I also desire it to be understood that the game can be started by laying down any class of men or pieces at first; it not being essential to lay down the voters first as set forth in the description of the manner of playing the game.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- A game apparatus, substantially as described, consisting of a board provided with a diagram comprising an outer square, and a series of inner squares of various sizes arranged within the outer square; each inner square being so arranged with respect to the next outer square that its corners will bisect the sides of said square, and straight lines extending from the inner square to the outer square, and a plurality of pieces adapted to be moved along the lines of the diagram and occupy stations or points where the lines intersect each other, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

SILAS ROBBINS. Witnesses:

WILLIAM T. NELsoN, ALVIN ELIJAH GARTEN. 

